New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne: The Man Who Couldn’t Be Bought

by Donald Linky

Known by mobsters as “the man who couldn’t be bought,” Brendan Byrne led New Jersey into a new era when he won the state’s gubernatorial election by a landslide in the wake of political corruption scandals. A former prosecutor and judge, Byrne was soon condemned as “one-term Byrne,” the inept politician who few thought would risk the humiliation of standing for a second term. Yet Byrne surprised both friend and foe alike by pulling off the state’s most remarkable political comeback, winning re-election and leaving a legacy of preserving the vast resources of the Pinelands, enacting the state’s first income tax and comprehensive school financing reform, developing the Meadowlands, approving casino gambling in Atlantic City, and initiating strong environmental controls to combat pollution.

480 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2014

Reviews

[Vincent Solomeno · Rating 4 out of 5]

As New Jersey governor biographies, Donald Linky's "New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne" is the most comprehensive in the genre. Mr. Linky does an admirable job presenting the life of the late Governor. The chapters on Byrne's early public service in the Meyner Administration will likely be a page turner for good government geeks and students of twentieth century New Jersey history alike. I recommend the read for anyone interested in learning more about the Brendan Byrne, the man who couldn't be bought.

[Bill Hagaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting historical perspective on a great man and his accomplishments at governor